Dear Friends of Mission Surge,

There is so much to share about, after our board meeting yesterday, that I am not sure I can do it all in one email or blog post.  I will be sending out several updates this week in order to let you know some of what God is doing through our work at Mission Surge and in order to encourage you to pray without ceasing.

First, I want to thank you for praying for and giving towards my recent trip to the Dominican Republic.  We were able to encourage more than 100 pastors while there.  We walked through sections of Titus, defined the biblical gospel, discussed how the gospel should impact their individual lives, their marriages and families, and then left them with the challenge to send the gospel forth through their churches, into the communities, and to the ends of the earth.  You can read a little about the work in the archives of this blog.  I plan to give a full report at Providence Baptist Sunday that should be available online if you are interested in listening. 

Next, I want to ask you to please be in prayer for our new board members.  Board members serve for 3 years and we had several that rotated off this year.  Our board, as of yesterday consists of:

Rev. Kevin Wade, pastor at Cleary Baptist Church (member since 2012)

Darron Byrd, businessman (member since 2013)

Russ Granberry, pastor at Providence Baptist Church (since 2014)

Ken Holm, computer guy at UMC (since 2014)

Dallas Baker, Department of Environmental Quality (since 2014)

Jim McClendon, Fire Investigator for City of Richalnd (since 2014)

Jeff Statham, ATT (since 2014)

Please be in prayer for these men as they continue to serve, and/or begin serving!  We will be affirming at least one other board member at our next meeting and attempting to gradually add members over the next 2 years.  Thank you to these men for their willingness to serve, and for your prayers for them as they do so!

Finally, at our board meeting yesterday, I was able to share a report on the DR trip as well as some vision that I have for local ministry.  The highlight of the meeting however, was the announcement of some new members of the Mission Surge team.  Back in August I began hoping and praying that God would give us an opportunity to be involved in all 7 regions of the world.  What seemed like a possibility in August of 2013 has begun to unfold in amazing ways in 2014.  I want to introduce you to one of the men today who is helping to make my vision in August 2013 a reality and I will introduce 3 others later in the week. 

Meet Peter Vimalasekaran (Vimal) and Refugee Ministries International

Vimal was born in Sri Lanka, into a multi-religious family. Due to Civil War in that country, Vimal experienced life as a refugee. During his time in a refugee camp in Tamil Nadu, S. India, the Lord opened his eyes and gave him eternal life in Christ. Afterwards, Vimal obeyed God’s call to serve Him in a full-time capacity. He completed a Diploma in Church Planting in Bethel Bible Institute in India in 1991.  Later that year he attended London Reformed Baptist Theological Seminary for two years and gained another Diploma in Pastoral Studies. In 1993, he studied for another three years in the Irish Baptist College, Belfast, for his Diploma in Missions and gained a Bachelor of Divinity degree through Queen’s University, Belfast in 1997.  From 1993-2000, he was an Assistant to the Pastor of Killicomaine Evangelical Church, Portadown, Northern Ireland. He also pursued a M.Phil at Queens Univeristy. 

In 1997, Vimal married Louise from England and began outreach ministry to refugees in Germany in 1998 and 1999.  Louise was born into an atheistic family in England. God graciously met her in 1990, when she was 18 years old, preparing to do Social Work training. Through the witness of a friend, God gave her a new life. Louise was then trained as a Staff Nurse after studying at Kings College, London. Louise uses her gifts in the ministry among women and children. At present, she is at home with two small children, attending to the family’s spiritual, educational and physical needs.

Later, Vimal was officially ordained in Killicomaine.  Vimal gained a Doctorate in Missions from Reformed Theological Seminary, Jackson, MS.  After studying,  the family returned to Germany to continue refugee ministry up to the present. Now the Vimalasekarans live in Karlsruhe and minister to migrants and refugees. Vimal and Louise now have four children, 

Abigail was born on 4^th November 2002

Beulah was born on 19^th February 2004

Celeste was born on 25^th February 2011 

David was born on 29^th April 2012

Refugee Ministry in Southwest  Germany.

Germany has nearly 7.5 million foreigners.  There are many refugee camps in Southwest Germany with several hundred refugees and asylum seekers living in them. We have been working with over 40 different nationalities, predominantly from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.

Refugees in Germany:-

They are kept in refugee camps – usually four people in a small room.

Their movement is limited within the boundaries of a county, subdivision (or equivalent). 

They are not allowed to work for at least a year (but even then the probability of getting a job after a year is very slim).

They are provided with food and clothes through a voucher system

They have language difficulties. 

There is limited health care for them.

Successful applicants are well looked after.

What Do We Do?

Our vision is to reach out to migrants in Europe with the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe God is the refuge for the people on the move.

Friendship Evangelism (translation, transportation, helping with legal work, hospital visitation, prison visitation etc).

Visiting refugee camps 

Scripture and literature distribution in their own native languages.

Team outreaches and personal visits.

Teaching and discipleship – Vimal is also helping and pastors a small Tamil ethnic church in Frankfurt. Our desire is that we will be able to build up churches like this, so they can multiply and be effective in the Kingdom of God.

Helping with integration – This aspect is a great challenge in Germany.

Working as a bridge between local churches and migrants.

Providing counseling to refugees and migrants

Working and supporting Lausanne Diaspora Movement 

Partnership with South Asian Network

Organizing Seminars for migrant and local church workers

Preaching and teaching

Networking and collaborating with various migrant ministries

Providing support and encouragement to local churches to be involved in migrant ministry.

We, at Mission Surge are excited to partner with Refugee Ministries International!  We will be helping to promote their ministry, raise awareness for their work, encourage prayer support, and financial support for their work.  You can follow Vimal’s work on his blog at:  

http://findrefuge.wordpress.com

We are in the process of building a brand new website at Mission Surge where you can easily read updates about RMI and Vimal and his family.  You will also be able to donate online through paypal and/or secure instructions on mailing your donations.  We are excited to be a part of what God is doing around the world, and to be able to share it with you!  We covet your prayers.  Please pray for the work, and spread the word.  

If there is anyone that you think would benefit from receiving our email updates, please send me their email addresses!  I would love to keep the informed.  

In Christ, 

Kevin